For BMW, Alpina is the equivalent to a secret handshake in the automotive world. It takes already impressive BMW vehicles and makes them even more special with its own brand of interior upgrades, performance tuning and subtle exterior styling.
The 2024 BMW Alpina B8 Gran Coupe is based on the 8 Series Gran Coupe, which is the second-largest sedan in BMW’s lineup.
Not surprisingly, a buyer pays a hefty sum to get the Alpina experience, but would be repaid with the satisfaction that comes with owning an uncompromising, exclusive and understated vehicle.
Performance
With 612 horsepower at your command, you won’t want for more power. Handling also exceeds most drivers’ appetite for cornering without a punishingly stiff ride.
The Alpina B8 glides down the autobahn as fast as 201mph. The model is different from the “regular” BMW models. advertisement
Right out of the gate, thrust from the Alpina’s 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 engine is immense. Thanks to 612 horsepower and 590lb-ft of torque, the B8 scoots from 0 to 60mph in 3.4 seconds. advertisement
That is slightly quicker than the M850i Gran Coupe, but a tick slower than the M8 Gran Coupe. If you are going to go fast, you are going to need exceptional brakes, and the B8 has the
Massive Brembo calipers clamp down on equally huge steel discs, stopping the B8 from 60mph in 94ft.
That is shorter than an M5 CS and BMW M8 Gran Coupe. For a car that weighs 4,715 pounds and is geared more towards luxury than all-out performance, that is nothing short of exceptional.
All that weight, though, shows up quickly once you start driving up twisty roads. You can really feel the mass of the B8, and the steering simply doesn’t offer nearly enough feedback for the Alpina to be considered a driver’s car.
Even though hustling this luxury barge down a backroad can be fun, there are other high-dollar performance luxury cars that are better for the job.
Instead, the Alpina is about comfort, and it crushes that purpose no matter if you are in the city or cruising down an interstate.
This BMW doesn’t have a single M badge on it, and that means all sporting pretense is gone. The Alpina is all about continent-cruising comfort, and it excels.
The seats are covered in soft Merino leather and are exceptionally comfortable, and they are adjustable in more than a dozen ways.
The cabin is always whisper-quiet regardless of speed. Even the B8’s ride quality, despite the oversized 21-inch wheels, is excellent.
The B8 was designed to get you and a few of your friends from wherever you are to wherever you want to be exceptionally quickly without a moment of discomfort.
It’s a grand tourer through and through, and it lives up to expectation almost faultlessly. If we had to nitpick we had say the Alpina’s Comfort Plus drive mode can be a little too floaty, but simply never using the setting remedies that problem.
Interior
BMW’s interiors have been cold and technical in recent years, but the B8 finally restores some much-wanted luxury. Yet the conversion to an Alpina doesn’t upset the standard 8 Series’ good ergonomics.
The seating position itself is spot on, and there is plenty of adjustment range for the seat and the steering column.
Even though it is a very low-slung four-door coupe, visibility is not too bad, though the view out of the rear window is definitely compromised.
Inside, a rider will find plenty of legroom for up to four passengers, but headroom in the back is limited so you might want to put your taller friends up front.
The Alpina’s BMW iDrive system is not the most intuitive to learn. However, once you have become acquainted with it, it works well and doesn’t distract from driving duties.
The presence of a dial controller and touchscreen provides much-appreciated redundant control.
Technology
Even though this is an Alpina-badged car, it still gets BMW’s iDrive infotainment. Take note: It’s one of the most menu-dense infotainment systems on the market.
It’s not easy to master and takes plenty of getting used to. However, owners should give themselves time to overcome the learning curve.
BMW’s menu structure is logical, there are multiple ways of using the system (touch, a dial, gestures and voice commands), and it eventually becomes second nature.
If you are interested in any modern BMW, spend some time sitting in a showroom and checking out iDrive to make sure it’s right for you.
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Driver aids like blind-spot warning and forward collision warning were helpful without being intrusive.
Then there is BMW’s optional Driving Assistance Professional package, which, when certain road conditions are met, will drive the car completely by itself at speeds up to 40mph.
All it asks is the driver pay attention to the road, but there is no need to keep your hands on the wheel. It made traffic-laden mornings a breeze, and while not as complete as GM’s Super Cruise or Tesla’s Autopilot, it’s an aid that should not go unmentioned.
Storage
Despite its sleek shape, this long and lean coupe offers a usable amount of trunk space — 15.5 cubic feet of free air to be exact.
It neatly splits the difference between competitors like the Porsche Panamera and Mercedes-Benz AMG GT, but the Alpina’s 40/60-split rear seats do allow for the loading of longer items like multiple bags of golf clubs.
Because the whole car is quite low, the load lip is too, and hands-free operation of the trunk makes loading easier.
Interior storage in the B8 is just about adequate, but you are likely to run out of room if you are carrying a lot of small items.
There are four cupholders up front that only fit medium-size bottles, with a centre console that is nice and deep for larger items.
There is also a small cubby beneath the centre stack where you can hide away smaller items, and it features a wireless charging mat for your smartphone.
Fuel Economy
The EPA says the Alpina B8 will deliver 19mpg combined (17 city/24 highway). Over the course of 10 days and nearly 1,000 miles in the B8, the Edmunds averaged 16.6 mpg, a bit below the EPA’s estimates.
Value
The higher you go up the proverbial food chain, the less money matters, but the concept of value remains the same. Is the Alpina B8 worth the $150,000 asking price?
That’s entirely up to those who can afford it, but there are very few cars that so seamlessly meld understated luxury and barn-storming performance as well as the B8 does.
As well built as a Mercedes S-Class, as quick as some supercars, and beautiful to behold, the B8 almost makes you think $150,000 is a bit of a bargain.
BMW’s three years/36,000 miles of free maintenance and four years of roadside assistance is on par with competitors in this segment.
The basic and standard drivetrain warranties both extend to four years/50,000 miles
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